On Fox & Friends, Donald Trump Confirms He Won't Attend Fox News' March 21 GOP Debate
Written by Media Matters Staff
Published
From the March 16 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:
STEVE DOOCY (HOST): Mr. Trump, are you going to be at the Fox News debate on March 21?
DONALD TRUMP: Well, you know, I'll be honest. Nobody even told me about it. And I might as well give it to you first, Steve, because you've always been so fair, the whole group. This group, this is my group. I love this show, what can I tell you? I don't know, do I have good taste or bad taste, but I love this show.
DOOCY: You have good taste.
BRIAN KILMEADE (HOST): Yeah, you have good taste.
TRUMP: OK you better believe it. So nobody told me about debates. Nobody told me and, as you saw, I thought the last debate on CNN was the last debate. That was going to be it. And I'm doing a major speech in front of a very important group of people. I think it's 8 or 9,000 people that night and it was scheduled a while ago and nobody told me there were going to be more debates.
DOOCY: So you are not going to do the Fox News debate?
TRUMP: I will say this. I will say this. I think we've had enough debates. We've had 11 or 12 debates. I did really well on the last one. I think I've done well in all the debates. I mean according to Drudge and everybody else, I won the debates. But I think we've had enough. How many times can the same people ask you the same question? So I was very surprised when I heard that Fox called for a debate. Nobody told me about it. And I won't be there, no.
DOOCY: OK.
KILMEADE: So you will not be going to the debate on --
DOOCY: No, I'm making a very major speech in front of a very important group of people.
DOOCY: What is the group? AIPAC [The American Israel Public Affairs Committee] I think maybe?
TRUMP: Yes. Exactly.
DOOCY: OK, all right.
KILMEADE: I know that's going to be devastating because they're working hard to do it. They've had the venue picked out. Would you consider reconsidering?
TRUMP: Well I can't because I've committed to a speech and I've committed to it. I'll tell you one thing about me. When I make a commitment -- I wouldn't mind, you know, going to the debate. I do think we've had enough of them though, I'll be honest with you.
DOOCY: So you're done, you're done with all debate?
TRUMP: I think it's enough. I mean, I don't mind it. I don't mind the process of debating. It turned out that I do it well. I guess I do it well, according to the pollsters, I do it well. According to where I am I do it well, but I think we've had enough debates to be honest with you.
AINSLEY EARHARDT (HOST): The voters love them though. The voters watch them.
TRUMP: So you know who loves them? I'll tell you who loves them, Ainsley, the networks love them because they get -- now, the Democrats do not get good ratings. They get terrible ratings. The Republicans get good ratings if I'm in it. OK. So you know, what can I tell you?
DOOCY: It goes to show your side is energized.
TRUMP: Nobody told me me, Steve. Nobody told me, Brian. Nobody told me about the debate. They hit me with it yesterday or something and I said I'm not going to be here, so I'm not going to be doing the debate.
Previously:
Trump, Fox Spar Over Kelly's Role In Debate
Fox's Megyn Kelly Responds To Trump Pulling Out Of Fox Debate: “He Doesn't Get To Control The Media”
“Don't Walk Away From It!”: O'Reilly Appeals To Donald Trump To Come To Fox News Debate